Auto Bits: Top technical accessories for your car

Whether it's traveling during the holidays or commuting to and from work, Americans spend a lot of time in their vehicles - almost 540 hours a year, according to a Roland Berger study. With so much time spent behind the wheel, it's worth it to invest in the top gadgets to make your ride safer and more comfortable. These accessories provide you with some of the latest safety features and allow you to bring all the comforts of home along with you on your ride.

- Safety first: Back-up cameras are a simple installation that can save lives. About 34 percent of all non-traffic car fatalities for children under 5 are caused by back-overs, according to KidsandCars.org.

- Convenient help: A dead battery at any time of the year can be a real downer, especially if you are unable to find a person willing to give you a jump start. Portable systems like Peak Jump-Starters allow you to restart car batteries without the need of another car.

- A handy charging station: Cellphones, tablets, video games and even laptop computers are all portable and popular accessories for passengers when traveling, but all require charging stations. And everyone knows that road trips with dead video game or e-reader batteries are not fun. A portable charging station is perfect for recharging electronics in the car.

- Wi-Fi on the road: Once you have the mobile charger, put your electronics to use with a Mobile Internet Router. Passengers can surf the Internet, check emails and play on-line games with a simple plug-in. The coverage area is wide enough to supply a connection to the entire family.

- Brandpoint

The List

Here are this year’s winner and previous winners of Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year:

2013: Ram 1500

2012: Ford F-150

2011: Chevrolet Silverado HD

2010: Dodge Ram Heavy Duty

2009: Ford F-150

2008: Toyota Tundra

Car Q&A

Q: I own a 2010 Toyota Camry. Last week the low-tire pressure light came on the dash. A couple of days later it went out. What is the problem?

A: When the temperature drops down, so does the tire pressure. I see a lot of vehicles every day, a lot with the low tire pressure lights illuminated. The most common problem is just a low tire. Most vehicles equipped with a full-size spare tire also need to have the spare checked because the computer also monitors the spare tire pressure.

- Junior Damato, Talking Cars columnist

GateHouse News Service

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